God's Story Behind Being Passed Up

Introduction
   
Week of February 19-25
“God’s Story Behind Being Passed Up”
Esther 2:19 - 3:4
1.    We all have imperfect people “passing us up” everyday of our lives. The experience of being “passed up” comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it means not being seeing, appreciated, praised, thanked, rewarded, or recognized. This results in us feeling anger, disappointment, or frustration. As a group come up with common, yet fictitious, scenarios of what it might look like to be “passed up” by the types of people listed below.
• A boss / co-worker
 • A customer 
• A spouse 
• Friend / neighbor
• Your children 
• Kid’s Coach / Kid’s teacher
 • A friend 
• A stranger
2.    Why is recognition so important to us? Why do we hope to be seen, appreciated, praised, or rewarded?
3.    Share a personal situation where you were felt you were “passed up” in some shape or form where it effected you in a significant way.

                                       Study Questions 

1. Mordecai Does a Good Thing.
 
•    Read 2:19-22. 
•    In verse 21, we are introduced to conspirators against the King. What could be possible reasons
for the desired assassination? Hypothetically, what might the guards be disgruntled with?
1.    In verse 22, Mordecai does a good and right thing and reports the conspiracy he has overheard. He must have felt pretty good about potentially saving the King’s life. We tend to feel the same when we:
•    Do the right thing. 
•    Put in a great and sincere effort to do our best. 
•    Make someone else happy. 
•    Accomplish something significant.
 •    Care sacrificially about someone else and make a difference.
Share something that you did recently that made you feel good from doing one of the above.

2.    Mordecai “so happened” to be at the gate at the right time to overhear the conspiracy. The timing seems like God was writing his story behind the story. Share a past or recent experience where you felt the circumstances were beyond a coincidence and you felt sure God was in it.   
                         
 2.   Mordecai is passed up.
 
•    Read 2:23
•    In verse 23, it seems like all the right things were done in response to the news that Mordecai brings. It was investigated, the criminals were punished, it was officially recorded, but clearly absent was any recognition, appreciation, or reward for Mordecai. Put yourself in Mordecai’s shoes. What is he thinking and feeling? What are you tempted to do and think when you’re “passed up” like this?

3. Mordecai is further frustrated when someone else is promoted
                                         
•    Read 3:1-4
•    Verse 1 stands in contrast to Mordecai being overlooked. Haman, the King’s official, is promoted for seemingly no recorded reason. Share a story, personal or not, where credit was not just passed over, but it was given to someone who didn’t deserve it, adding insult to injury.
1.    Verse 2 states that everyone was to honor Haman by kneeling down to him. Verse 4 explains that Mordecai refused to do so. He explains his refusal by explaining that he is a “Jew”. Haman stems from a people called “The Agagites” (v.1) Historically, the Jews and the Agagites have had a 600 year feud with each other. But it seems far fetched that Mordedai is courageously taking a stand for his spiritual roots and his faith. He has already advised Esther to keep silent about her nationality. (2:20) He did nothing to discourage Esther from sexual and marital compromise with the King. He did not discourage Esther from eating forbidden food given to her. Chances are the primary root of Mordecai’s attitude and anger stems from being passed up.
•    Describe how easy it is to have bitterness linger over misplaced credit, or a lack of reward for deserved effort, or being overlooked. How does does this effect us relationally?
•    It might be that Mordecai feels like God fell asleep on the job. He must have felt the rug being pulled out from under him. This can be spiritually disillusioning for any Christian. Describe the last time it felt like God fell asleep on you.

Life Lessons

God is writing his story behind the story of being passed up. We know that Mordecai will ultimately be elevated to the king’s right hand man with more authority than Haman ever had.
For a sneak peek at what’s to come for Modecai read: 8:2, 14, & 10.
But for now, he only sees what is right in front of him- his story. More often than not, our story is the only story we are temtped to see. We will need some help to wait patiently for God’s story of being “passed up” to unfold. Here are 3 truths that will help:

1.God sees what is unseen by men and will reward in heaven.

•    Read Matthew 6:6 and Hebrews 6:10. Share an unfair situation in which you only had the applaud from an audience of One- God. Why is it often hard for this to be enough?
•    Read Hebrews 11:24-26. Rewards, in all shapes and sizes, are effectively used in parenting, at work, with school, law enforcement, in marriage, and in any situation where there are demands placed on us. Share a practical example of where you see rewards being effective in life.
•    Why might it seem strange or seemingly out of place for Christians to speak positvely about being motivated to serve God and his ways with rewards in mind?
Read Mark 9:33-25 and 10:42-25. What is applauded by men on earth, may not be applauded by God in heaven. And what is applauded by God in heaven, may not be applauded by men on earth. What is something you have done recently that was applauded by God in heaven, rather than applauded by men on earth.
•    Read Colossians 3:23-24- When we serve God as our audience of One, how should that change the way we see and do things?

2.  God’s timing is based on what we don’t know in our story.

•    Read Ecclesiastes. 3:1, 11, I Peter 5:6, and Pslam 75:6-7.
•    Give an example of some frustrating circumstance of timing, but then in retrospect saw God’s story of “later” being better.
•    Everybody starts in any venture not knowing what they don’t know. Time to grow and mature is a natural and necessary life law God programmed in life. Share a time when you were glad you were held back or passed up because you later realized you were not developmentally ready. What do you know now, that you didn’t know then?

3. God values roles that are only seemingly insignificant.

•    Read 1 Corinthians 12:14-27. What is point that is being made about the different abilities, giftedness, and roles that God gives us? Give an example of how size, status, and popularity, and salary and does not reflect significance.
•    Some people’s abilities and talents will not be best utilized in a position where they are seen by others. They may have a role where they accomplish more working behind the scenes. What will ultimately happen if we try to go after a role that is more openly seen by people, but not reflective of our true abilities or giftedness?
•    What are some creative, simple, and everyday ways we can expess intentional credit, recognition, or appreciate to someone who has earned recognition as a co-worker, child, teacher, neighbor, boss, spouse, parent, leader friend, or church member?